Illuminated sign



April 26,1927. 1,626,286

C. G. KEENAN ILLUMINATED SIGN Filed June 21, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l w r 2Q w L F L" QVfiwflw fi/f aweca n a r/IE/JiA I a m z r a w a a K a m w U1 Apnl 26 9 c. G. KEENAN ILLUMINATED SIGN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June21. 1923 61 G. free/ion Patented Apr. 26,1927.

tszazss CHARLES G. KEENAN, OF OJAI, CALIFORNIA.

ILLUMINATED SIGN.

Application filed June 21,

My invention relates to illuminated novelty signs, symbols and the like,and it has for its purpose the provision of means by which the lightrays emanating from a source or sources of light embodied in anilluminated sign or symbol are set into motion, whereina scintillatedeffect is produced without interrupting the source of light supr rit isalso a purpose of my invention to proride an illui'ninated sign orsymbol which includes eleetro-mechanical means for imparting vibratoryor tren'ibling movement to one or :1 pit 'ality of reflectors associatedwith one or a plurality of electric lamps and oer that a sparkling orscintillat- "feet ot the entire sign or symbol is pro- Further, myinvention embodies I, ht retracting means associated with the amps andreflectors which serves to diffuse the light rays and thus exaggeratescintillations, thereby increasing the attractiveness and advertisingvalue of the sign or symbol.

Although I have here-in shown and will describe only three terms ofilluminated signs or symbols ei'nbodying my invention it is to heunderstood that various changes and modifications may be made hereinwithout departing from the spirit of the invention and the spirit andscope of the appended claims.

In the acconiipanyino; drawings, Fi 1 is a view showing in sideelevation one term 01 illuminated sign or symbol embodying my invention,the circuits therefore being shown diagrammatically.

Fig. 2 is a View taken at rightangles to Fig. 1.

Fig.

8 is a view showing in front elevation and on a reduced scale anotherform of illuminated sign or symbol embodying my invention.

u is a view showing in rear elevation unether lorn'i oi illuminated signor symbol embodying my invent-ion.

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 77 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 a perspective view showing one form of illuminated symbol inwhich the 1923. Serial No. 646,821.

mechanism shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is adapted to be housed.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each o'l theseveral views.

Referring specifically to the drawings and particularly to Figs. 1 and2, my invention in its present en'ibodiment comprises a base 15 ofinsulating material upon which supported a pair of electromagnets 16 and16 having a common armaJure 17, a ring formation whichis sustained foroscillatory movement by means of a spring 18 secured to a bracket 19which latter in turn is secured to the base 15. Between the magnet 16and supported upon the base 15 is a lamp socket 20 receiving an electriclamp 21. Surrounding the socket below the lamp is a re flector 22composed of a circular series of concave reflecting surfaces andsupported upon the armature 17 by means of arms 23 so as to be moved bythe armature inclependently of the socket and lamp,

The armature 17 is provided at its under side with strips of insulatingmaterial 2 1 which are disposed directly above the poles of the ma nets16 and 16 so as to prevent sticking o' the armature, as will beunderstood. The armature 17 is provided with a depending contact 25supported upon a block of insulating material 26 fixed to the armatureby means of a combining post 27. This contact 25 extends through and isadapted to engage and disengage upon the underside of a spring contactarm 28 secured to a block of insulating material 29 by means of acombining post 30. The block 29 is in turn secured to the bracket 19.The contacts 25 and 28 constitute the terminals of a circuit includingthe windings of the magnets 16 and 16 and a battery or the source ofcurrent B. Normally, the armature 17 is urged by means of the spring 18in such direction that the contact engages the contact 28 so thatcurrent from the battery B is supplied to the windings of the magnets toenergize the latter, With the magnets energized the armature 17 isattracted and against the action of the spring 18 so that immediatelyfollowing the energization of the magnets. the circuit is disrupted bythe movement of the contact 25 out of engagement with the contact 28,thereby deenergizing the magnets. As soon as the magnets becomedeenergized the armature is released and the spring 18 acts to returnthe contact 25 into jengagei'nent with the contact '28.

til

thereby again completing the circuit and energizing the magnets. Fromthis operation, it will be clear that the magnets are alternatelyenergized and dcenergized to elfect an oscillatory movement of thearmature 17 thereby imparting a vibratory movement to the reflector 22so that when the lamp 21 is illuminated the rays of light reliected bythe reflector will be projected in constantly varying directions toproduce the desired scintillating elfect.

Referring now to Figs. 3, 4 and 5, I have here shown an illuminated signor symbol in the form of a. letter which may constitute a part of a wordsign. This sign includes a casing 31 supported upon a base of insulatingmaterial 32 to which are secured lamp sockets 33 on which are mountedlamps As shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, the lamps are arranged to formthe letter T, and the casing is constructed to form the outline of suchletter. Prisms 35 and 36 are supported in the casing 31 so as to refractthe light rays projected from the lamps and re flectors. Each lamp 3% isprovided with a concave reflector 37, and all of the reflectors arerigidly secured to a wire frame 38 sustained for reciprocating movementupon the base 32 by means of spring arms 39. These arms also serve tonormally urge the frame and consequently the reflector to apredetermined position with respect to the lamps 3%, and each reflectoris formed with an opening 40 through which the lamp extends so that thereflector can move independently of the lamp.

Any suitable means may be provided for continuously reciprocating theframe 38 in order to secure the vibratory or trembling incvement of thereflectors 37. In the present instance I have shown such means ascomprising a solenoid ell secured upon the rear side of the plate 32 bymeans of brackets 4-2. A movable core 4:3 of the solenoid is sustainedby a spring arm ll secured to a bracket 45, such arm also carrying ablock of insulating material. 46 for maintaining such arm in necessaryspaced relation to the solenoid. The upper end of the core i3 isprovided with an extension 47 connected to a spring bar 48. The bar 48is connected at its upper end to yoke 4-9 which latter in turn ispivotally connected to an arm 50 extended through an opening 51 in theplate 32 and 1l-? dly secu d to the frame 3 I iown in Fig. 5, the springarm provided with a bowed extension carrying a contact which normallyengages a contact. l adjustably carried by a T he post 55 is in turncombining post supported upon a bracket 56 secured tothe plate 32.

The contacts 53 and El constitute the terminals of. a circuit includingthe windings of the solenoid 41 and abattery B, and as the arm l tnormally urges the contact 53 into eng ll and its bowed evtension 5L islikewise lowered so the contact 53 disengages the contact 5t therebydisrupting the circuit and dcenergizing the solenoid. As soon as thesolenoid is deenergizcd, the arm All and the frame 38 return to normalposition, thereby elevating the reflectors 37 and moving the contactinto engagement with the contact to again complete the circuit; toenergize the solenoid. This action of energizing and deenergizing thesolenoid is continuous so that a reciprocating movement of thereflectors is produced, such movement being suffciently rapid to effecta vibratory movement of the reflectors so that when the lamps 34 areilluminated the scintillating effectof the light rays will be produced.This scintillating effect is exaggerated by the refraction of the lightrays through the medium of the prisms 35 and 36.

Referring now to Figs. 6 and 7, I have here shown an illuminated signcomprising a pln "ality of letters or characters, and each letter orcharacter being formed from a plurality of electric lamps 57 having acommon casing 53 provided at its front side with lenses 59. The lampsfor all of the characters or letters are each provided with a reflector60, and all of these reflectors are supported upon a frame 61 which ismounted for movement in substantially the same manner as the frame 38 inFig. 4. This frame is adapted to be rapidly reeiprocated so as to effectvibratory or trembling movement of all of the reflectors simultaneouslyby means of a motor 62 having a crank 63 connected to a shaft 64- bymeans of a rod 65 and an arm 66, the rod being pivotally con nected tothe arm and the latter rigidly connectcd to the shaft. The shaft 6% isjournalled in bearing 67. and fixed to the shaft is an arm 68 (Fig. 7)which is rigidly connected to the frame (51.

When the motor 62 is energized reciprocating movement of the rod 65 isellected to oscillate the shaft- 6% thereby rocking the arm 68 toreciprocate the frame 61 and thus effect vibratory movement of all ofthe re tlectors 60. A vibratory or trembling move ment of the reflectorsproduces a scintillating ellect of the light rays for all of the lettersof the sign,

Referring now to Fig. 8, I have here shown a casing 70 which is adaptedto house the lamp, reflector and actuating means shown in Figs. 1 and 2.The casing 70 is ill) constructed to provide at its front end asyn'ibol, indicated at 71 which is in the present inst nce in the formof a five pointed star. This symbol includes a lens 72 preferably madeup of a plurality of prisms arran ed to effect the desired diffusion ofthe light rays emanating from the lam 3 21 and so as to accentuate thescintillations generated by the vibrating reflector. This form ofillun'iinated symbol may be used as an ornament or as a tail light forautomobiles, and in the latter adaptation the vibrating means for thereflector may be dispensed with, and the usual vibration of the motorvehicle to which the tail light is applied can be utilized for etlectiivibration of the reflector to produce scintillating effect of the light.

ll hat l claim is:

l. in advertising device comprising an artificial source of light, aconcaved mirror reflector disposed about and behind said source oflight, and electro-magnetic means for quickly vibrating or tremblingsaid retlcctor.

An advertising device comprising an artificial light source, meansproviding a plurality of coucaved reflecting surfaces adjacent saidlight source, and means for quickly vibrating said reflecting surfacesrelatively to said light source.

3. An advertising device comprising a plurality of artificial lightsources, a re 'tlector disposed adjacent each light source, and meansfor quickly vibrating said reflectors relatively to said light sources.

An advertising device comprising a plurality of light sources, meansproviding a curved reflecting surface lehind each light sourc andelectric means for quickly vibrating said reflecting surfaces relativelyto said light sources.

An advertising device comprising a plurality of artificial lightsources, means providing curved reflecting surfaces about and behindeach of said lightsources, and electr -magnetic means for quicklyvibrating the reflecting surfaces relatively to said light sources.

(3 An advertising device comprising a p lity of artificial lightsources, a reflector disposed adjacent each light source, means forquickly vibrating said reflectors rtively to said light sources, and arefracg means associated with said reflector.

in testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

CHARLES G. KEEN AN.

